Hi people! Brini here with some fun tips. This week we're featuring a couple of tips from the last season of the original show. It's about tooth brushes - use them to clean your grout - and folding fitted sheets. It's not as hard as it looks. Watch and see!


Now I have some great news for all you New Yorkers out there! I'm going to be hosting classic films at the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas for the months of July and August - 9 weeks in all. The screenings are every Thursday at 7pm starting on the 3rd with The Gang's All Here - the patriotic musical from 1943, featuring Carmen Miranda and Alice Faye. If you've never seen it you're in for a treat. It's an outrageously creative Busby Berkley musical in technicolor with terrificly over the top production numbers. The tickets are $6.50 and there is a raffle drawing each week with Broadway tickets and products from my line up for grabs.


The rest of the schedule for July is as follows:


July 10th Thoroughly Modern Millie
July 17th Palm Beach Story
July 24th Rear Window
July 31st The Ritz Hope to see you there!


This week on my NPR podcast we're discussing how to make your home a haven of convenience with pushbutton technology. Be sure and have a listen! Next time I'll be back with a brand new episode! Thanks for sticking with me...

Hi people! Brini here, back with a new episode. Now I know it’s been a while, but we’ve been busy working on some exciting new projects. More about that later. 

This week we’re featuring the lost episode from the first season. This episode was planned for, but never aired during the first season of my podcast. It’s all about making the most of your mornings. I’m demonstrating a family recipe for coffee cake that I like to call Hobokuchen! It’s very simple, here’s how. 

You’ll need: 

2 ½ cup flour

4 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1 eg

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup chopped walnuts 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9â€� by 12â€� pan. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and place in a bowl. Add butter and blend well with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Reserve 2/3 of a cup of dry mixture for the streusel for the top. Add grated lemon rind to the remaining mixture. To the reserved streusel add the walnuts and cinnamon and blend well. Combine milk and egg and mix by hand, then add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and blend thoroughly. Pour into baking pan, spread with the streusel and bake for 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. 

Now making your morning more pleasant isn’t difficult if you apply these tips: 

Do everything you can the night before – lay out your wardrobe for the following day, set up your breakfast, you can even take your shower the night before. Having everything prepared will make getting out the door that much easier. 

Do you wakeup with the news? It’s a rather jarring start to your day. Try waking up to a jazz or classical station, or buy an alarm clock that will connect to your MP3 player or one you can use a CD with. It’s so much nicer to program your mornings for serenity than it is to greet the day with angst. 

This week on my NPR podcast we’re talking about how buying vintage can help you avoid planned and programmed obsolescence.  Here are a few links with information about making this a reality: 

www.retrorenovation.com – This blog is choc full of ideas for creating retro interiors 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence - An interesting article about planned obsolescence.  

http://www.antiqueappliances.com/links.htm - some links to sites about vintage appliances.

I’m sorry I missed posting my recipe for Brussels sprouts last week. If you’d like it, please email me at Brini@BriniMaxwell.com and I will send it to you. 

Don’t forget to come by Felix Populi. The site has been revamped and we have quite a few new products up, and more coming soon!

Hi people, Brini here with another episode for your viewing pleasure. This week we’re delving into needlepoint! It’s a charming craft and so easy to do. The project that I’m working on in the show is Clyde the Camel and he’s ever so much fun. 

One of the stitches we detail this time around is the tent stitch, which when done diagonally creates a basket weave on the back of the canvas. The reason we do the stitch in this pattern is to reduce distortion of the canvas because each diagonal line pulls the canvas in the opposite direction of the last, keeping the canvas much more square than if you work the stitch across or down. 

The other stitch I demonstrated is the satin stitch. It can be done vertically, horizontally or diagonally and covers more than one intersection of the canvas. The parallel stitches create a smooth surface that’s pleasant to the touch. 

If you’re interested in needlepoint you can find materials and supplies at www.needlepoint.com and information about the craft at www.needlepoint.org. For a more ironic view of the craft be sure and have a look at The Needlepoint Museum. 

This week on my NPR podcast I’m discussing the wonders of life without furniture. It’s a young look, but can be lots of fun in a rumpus room! Be sure and have a listen. 

Don’t forget to have a look at Felix Populi this week. We’re just about to add some exciting new products, and while you’re shopping have a gander at the Brini Maxwell auctions. This week we’re featuring easy shifts for casual summer living.  

That’s all for this week. Bye now!

 

Hi people, Brini here, and this week on the show we’re taking care of your carpet! It’s important to keep your wall to wall looking fresh. It’s a big investment, and a shabby floor makes for a shabby home.  

A clipper comb is perfect for shaving the pills off your low pile Berber carpet. You can also find a little electric razor designed for the purpose that’s better for high or loose looped pile carpets. Simply run the clipper along the surface of the carpet with the blade tilted just above the surface and the pills come right off! 

Carpet dents can be removed with a spritz of water. The dents will relax with the water and a little fidgeting.  

I was pleased to find that the spots on my carpet almost all came up with Kaboom, that product from late night television. Although Orange Glo no longer makes the stain remover (they’ve migrated the Kaboom brand over to bathroom cleaners) I’m pleased to recommend Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover. Though I haven’t used it myself, I’ve had positive reports from other’s about the effectiveness of it. Of course, be sure and test any spot remover on a hidden area of your carpet before using it on an exposed area. 

For more useful tips on home maintenance have a look at the tips section of the part of my website devoted to my Style Network show. 

My NPR podcast this week is all about stew. Even though it’s spring, it’s still quite nippy in a good part of the country. Stew can warm your cockles and make you a hit with your family and guests. Be sure and have a listen! Here’s my recipe for Hungarian Goulash: 

You’ll need: 

2 lb stew beef cut in 1� cubes

3 Tbs. all purpose flour

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

¼ cup chopped onion

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 Tbs. paprika

1 ½ cups beef bullion

8 oz egg noodles

2 Tbsp butter 

Coat the beef with the flour, then sauté it in a heavy pan with the vegetable oil. When the cubes are browned on all sides add the onion and cook until transparent. Add all remaining ingredients except the noodles and butter and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer until fork tender, about two hours. About 15 minutes before the two hours is up boil the noodles, drain and toss with the butter. Top the noodles with the stew and serve. 

Don’t forget to come by FelixPopuli.com and have a look at the Brini Maxwell auctions this week! 

That’s all for this week!

 

Hi people, welcome back to another fun episode. This week we have a bit of a variation on the theme. My cousin Pebbles and her best friend Lisa found themselves with nothing to do one afternoon and decided to make a little something in the kitchen. They chose my recipe for Lazy Daisy cake and it’s just delicious. Here’s the recipe:

You’ll need: 

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ cup milk

4 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp cream

½ cup coconut  

Preheat the oven to 350, then butter and flour an 8â€? square pan. Beat the eggs with the vanilla until thickened slightly, gradually add the granulated sugar and beat. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and add to the egg mixture, blending until smooth. Heat the milk and 1 Tbsp of the butter together in a small pan. When melted, stir the butter mixture into the batter and mix well. The batter will be runny. Working quickly, pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. While the cake is baking combine the remaining 3 Tbsp of butter, brown sugar, cream and coconut in a small pan, over low heat until well blended. After removing baked cake from the oven, spread the coconut mixture on top and brown lightly under the broiler, being careful not to burn. 

It’s just delicious! 

Don’t forget to have a look at Felix Populi this week. Be sure and explore all the possibilities with the new linen pillow line and look for fun new products soon! While you’re shopping have a look at the Brini Maxwell auctions. You never know when you’ll find something you can’t live without.

 

Hello people, Brini here with a new episode! I know it’s been a while, but we’re back with some great new content. Thanks for your patience! 

This week we’re making charm bracelets! They’re so easy to make. You’ll need: 

Charms you make or buy

Chain and clasps

            Or

Open link bracelets

Jump rings

Needle nose pliers

Round nose pliers

Wire cutters 

The process is simple, just connect the charms to the links of the bracelet or chain with the jump rings. The needle nose pliers are very helpful with this process. They allow you to manipulate the tiny rings and hold them in place while positioning the charms and links. The round nose pliers act as another pair of “handsâ€? when opening and closing the rings. If you’re using chain and clasps, use the wire cutters to shorten the chain to fit around your wrist, and then attach the clasps on either end. 

We also made charms with beads and headpins. For this you’ll need: 

Beads of your choice

Headpins in the same color as your bracelet or chain

Round nose pliers

Wire cutters 

Thread the headpins with beads of you choice. I like varying the size and color of beads to create different effects. You can begin with large beads and graduate to smaller ones or vise versa. Other ideas include stacking sequins to make cylindrical beads, using buttons and bead caps. Once the beads are stacked cut the head pin off about 3/8â€? above the top bead, then, using your round nose pliers bend the tail around into a loop. Bend the loop back to center and you’re ready to attach it to your bracelet with a jump ring. 

All the supplies you need can be found in most craft shops. There are wonderful bead stores in most big cities that have a terrific supply of beautiful beads that can be bought one bead at a time. Those shops usually carry beading tools, chain and jump rings as well as beads. Here are a few internet sources: 

www.jewelrysupply.com  

www.tohoshoji-ny.com  

www.fun2bead.com  

This week on my NPR podcast we’re talking about making your home beautiful with cut flowers. Flower arranging is simple when you know a few easy tricks. Be sure and listen! 

Don’t forget to drop by Felix Populi. We have some delightful new pillows up that can be customized for your home in 65 different colors of linen, and this week on the Brini Maxwell auctions we’re ushering in spring with some beautiful garments in blue, green and white. 

That’s all for this week. Bye now!